Staff Spotlight: Jacy Thoman

Jacy Thoman
May 18, 2020

About Jacy Thoman:

I am originally from Brewster, Neb. and grew up on my family ranch where we raised registered Hereford cattle. I came to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for college and studied agricultural economics and was part of the Engler Entrepreneurship Program community. Staying connected to the ag industry has been a clear path of mine, but I have not always been sure in what capacity. That path led me to a couple of public policy internships in D.C., working for a U.S. Congressman, and prior to arriving at the university, working on livestock promotion and development for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Outside of work life, I live in Omaha with husband Dillon and our cat Charlie. I am a regular at commuting between Omaha and Lincoln, so feel free to ask me about my favorite audiobooks and podcasts!


What is your position at UNL?

I am an Assistant Director for the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance. The institute connects academic disciplines related to law, policy, business and agriculture in order to prepare students for leadership roles in international trade and finance, support interdisciplinary research and increase public understanding of these issues. This looks different day to day, but some items I am excited about are our podcast Trade Matters and some student initiatives- we are launching a pilot cohort this fall to provide students professional development opportunities and community within the Institute, and we are working towards an undergraduate minor.


What drew you to UNL?

I am an alum! And thrilled to be back at the university. 

What aspect of working in an educational setting do you enjoy the most?
All the different disciplines. There is an incredible community at the university, a constant stream of new research projects to learn about, and endless opportunities to meet new colleagues and students outside of your immediate work area.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

I have some ambitious (for me) reading goals for 2020. In 2018 I read 4 books, 40 in 2019, and now I am aiming for 50 this year. I used to read a lot, so it has been great back to it.


What is your life like outside of work?
During the week I might try out a new recipe, bake banana bread for the 100th time, exercise after work with my husband, go for a walk, read, or catch up on episodes of our latest tv show. When we are able, we love to go hiking and usually plan our trips around visiting some new trails, or we are traveling to see family.

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